Hi Bob,
The new Alinco is the only current-production HT that will operate full
duplex; but like others, I hear rumblings about a TH-D7 replacement from
Kenwood later this year. The D7 was full duplex.
Posters here an elsewhere haven't given the Alinco high marks for its
abilities to work the FM satellites. I haven't tried it, so I hope those who
have some experience with it will respond to you.
All of that being said, I would recommend the Kenwood TH-F6A from the group
of currently available non-full-duplex radios for one major reason - its
general coverage receiver is all mode. I borrowed one from a ham friend
several months ago and, over the course of a weekend, use it as my receive
radio with a FT-817ND as my transmit radio to make multiple contacts on all
of the then-active linear satellites (AO-7 Mode B, FO-29 and VO-52). It
performed very well as I worked all passes without a receive preamp for
either VHF or UHF.
It will work the FM satellites, while providing the bonus of giving
newcomers a chance to copy AO-7, FO-29, HO-68 in linear mode and VO-52. I
suspect that when they've heard a few passes of the linear satellites, they
will be interested in trying to get on them.
I hope this is helpful.
73 to all,
Tim - N3TL
Athens, Ga. - EM84ha
-----Original Message-----
From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On
Behalf Of Bob- W7LRD
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2010 2:10 PM
To: amsat-bb at amsat.org
Subject: [amsat-bb] current handheld
I have been asked- "what is the best current handheld for FM sats"? What
are we using? I have an old IC-w32a, no longer in production.
73 Bob W7LRD
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